Collin County Land Guide 2026 | Cooper Land Company

Collin County Land Guide: Where Growth Is Heading in 2026

Collin County added more people from 2024 to 2025 than any U.S. county except Harris County, and most of that growth is landing north of US 380. This guide covers the numbers, the roads and the corridors that decide what land is worth here, with a source for every figure.

Collin County growth by the numbers

The Census Bureau estimates Collin County had 1,297,179 residents on July 1, 2025, up 21.7% from its April 2020 base of 1,066,201 (Census QuickFacts). The county gained 42,966 people in a single year (July 2024â€“July 2025), second in the nation for numeric growth (Census Bureau, 2026 release). Domestic migration accounted for about 56% of that gain (TxDOT population briefing, April 2026). In plain terms, people are choosing to move here from other parts of Texas and the U.S.

The fastest growth is in the northern cities. Celina was the fastest-growing U.S. city of 20,000+ people in 2025, up 24.6% in one year to 64,427 residents (Community Impact; Census QuickFacts). Prosper reached 45,605, up 51.2% since 2020 (Census QuickFacts). A North Central Texas Council of Governments report notes that Anna ranked fifth on the Census fast-growth list, behind Collin County neighbors Celina, Princeton and Melissa (NCTCOG, Aug. 2026).

The roads that set land values

In Collin County, a tract's future usually depends on the road it sits on. Four projects matter most right now:

Dallas North Tollway Phase 4A (US 380 to FM 428, Celina). NTTA lists the opening as late 2027. Bridge decks are complete from US 380 to Light Farms Way, and mainlane paving is underway (NTTA progress report, May 2026). The state's TDLR filing for the segment shows a $183 million estimate and a Sept. 1, 2027 completion date (TDLR TABS). Phase 4B (FM 428 to the Grayson County line) has no date yet.
Collin County Outer Loop. The two-lane roadway from the Dallas Parkway to Custer Road is built, and second service roads from the county line to Choate Parkway are at 60% design with construction tentatively in early 2027. Segment 1 (US 75 to SH 121) has its first two-lane roadway built and schematic design about 60% complete (Collin County Outer Loop page; Collin County roadway projects).
US 75 "Last Mile" in Anna. TxDOT finished the $80 million widening to six lanes from CR 370 to the Grayson County line in July 2026, removing the bottleneck into Grayson County. TxDOT's project manager noted commercial development starting along the corridor as the work wrapped up (TxDOT, July 2026).
US 380 east of McKinney. TxDOT is rebuilding and widening US 380 from Airport Drive to CR 458 to six lanes ($141.4 million, Oct. 2025â€“Oct. 2028). SH 5 and FM 2551 widenings are also underway (TxDOT Collin County construction list, Q3 2026).

Land that fronts a funded, under-construction road usually trades on different terms than land behind it. Knowing which roads are funded versus only proposed is a big part of pricing a tract correctly.

Thinking about buying, selling or holding land in Collin County? Cooper Land Company works land every day: growth-corridor tracts, commercial corners and lake lots. Call or text 214-714-5638 or email dan@cooperlandcompany.com. You can also get the free North Texas Land Value Report.

What land is doing price-wise

The Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M tracks verified rural land sales by region. In its Region 4 (Northeast Texas), the four-quarter median was $8,604 per acre in 2Q 2026, down 5.96% from the 2025 peak, while the number of sales rose 9.64% to 887 (TRERC 2Q 2026). The longer view is strong: at year-end 2025 the region's five-year compound annual growth rate was 12.17% (TRERC 4Q 2025).

Two cautions apply. TRERC measures large rural tracts across a multi-county region, so it is not a price for land inside Celina's city limits. And entitled or commercial land in Collin County trades far above rural medians. A modest pullback from the peak with rising sales is often when well-prepared buyers find the best tracts, and when sellers with realistic pricing get deals done.

Where development is heading next

The DNT/Preston corridor north of US 380 (Prosper, Celina): master-planned communities and the commercial corners that serve them. Hard corners at future Tollway interchanges are the scarcest asset.
The US 75 corridor (McKinney, Melissa, Anna, Van Alstyne): with the Last Mile finished, retail and service users are following rooftops north toward Grayson County.
East Collin (Princeton, Farmersville, Blue Ridge): larger rural tracts and longer holds, tied to US 380 and SH 78 improvements and the future Outer Loop Segments 2 and 4.

Utilities and entitlements matter as much as roads. Water/sewer availability, MUD or PID financing, and whether a tract sits in a city's ETJ all change what a developer can pay. Texas's 2023 ETJ law (SB 2038) gave some landowners new options. Our explainers are linked below.

Selling land in Collin County: what buyers ask first

Is it inside city limits, in an ETJ, or unincorporated?
Where are the nearest water and sewer lines, and who provides them?
Is there floodplain on the tract, and how much is usable?
What is the current ag valuation, and what would rollback taxes be?
What frontage and access does it have, and are there planned roads through it?

Having those answers ready before you go to market shortens due diligence and protects your price.

Frequently asked questions

Is Collin County still growing?

Yes. The Census Bureau estimates Collin County grew by 42,966 people from July 2024 to July 2025, second-most of any U.S. county, reaching 1,297,179 residents.

When does the Dallas North Tollway reach FM 428 in Celina?

NTTA's May 2026 progress report lists Phase 4A (US 380 to FM 428) opening in late 2027. Phase 4B to the Grayson County line has no announced date.

What is land worth per acre in Collin County?

It depends heavily on location, zoning, utilities and frontage. For context, the Texas Real Estate Research Center reported a Region 4 rural median of $8,604 per acre in 2Q 2026, but entitled and commercial land in Collin County typically trades well above rural medians. A broker's opinion of value based on recent nearby sales is the right starting point.

Which parts of Collin County are growing fastest?

Celina was the fastest-growing U.S. city of 20,000+ in 2025 (up 24.6%), and Princeton, Melissa and Anna also ranked among the nation's fastest-growing cities.

Who is a land broker in Collin County?

Cooper Land Company, based in Prosper, is a land and commercial real estate brokerage serving Collin County and all of Texas. Call 214-714-5638.

Sources

Last updated October 28, 2026. Figures come from the public sources linked above and describe areas and trends, not the value of any specific property. Verify current facts with the listed agency before you buy or sell. Cooper Land Company, 2501 Greenspoint Ln, Prosper, TX 75078 Â· 214-714-5638 Â· TREC Consumer Protection Notice Â· Information About Brokerage Services